Swimming device.



E. LYNGGARD.

SWEMMING DEVIQE. APPLICATION HLD Au-M. 1911.

Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

INAR LYNGGARD, or FRENCH RIVER, ifiIivNEso'r.

SWIMMING DEVICE.

'1 'o all 'who/'t z'tfmay concern:

Be it known that I, EINAR LYNGGARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at French River, in the county of St. LouisI and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swimming Devices, of which the following is a specification. o

This invention relates to swimming devices and an object is to generally improve a device of this kind having a pair of relatively movable blades attachable to the foot, and a further` object is to provide the particular construction hereinafter described to detachably secure the sole portion or tread and the blades together.

In addition to the foregoing, this invention comprehends improvements in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as Will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views in which" they appear Figure 1 is a View of the device` in bottom plan.

Fig. 2 is a view thereof in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the device, and,

Fig. 11 is a detail view on an enlarged scale illustrating the looking7 being mostly in plan,

but partly in section, with the sole removed.

With reference to the drawings, 10 indicates the sole portion which may conform in shape to the sole of the foot and have straps 11 connected thereto Whereby the sole may be fastened to the foot.

- The under side of the sole portion is provided with a pair of sleeves 12, located medially and spaced longitudinally, and having oppositely extending ears 13 through which and the sole portion rivets or other fastening means may penetrate. A pair of blades or wings 14 are provided for each device each blade being flat, preferably substantially rectangular and somewhat elongated. The blades are hingedly connected together at portion their longitudinal edges and to the sole portion. To this end, each blade along one of its longitudinal edges has lugs, curved to form sleeves 15 which aline with each other and with the sleeves 12 of the sole portion as indicated. To secure the blades to the sole portion for relative movement a key having Spcification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4:, 1919.

Application filed August 8, 1917. Serial No. 185,128.

a pintle 17 is run through the sleeves 12 and 15. The blades are thus mounted for movement toward and away from each other, from a position wherein the blades contact, to a position Wherein the blades lie in sub,- stantially the same plane.

The underside of the sole portion p'rovided at each side of the longitudinal center thereof, and adjacent the front and rear ends with cushions which are in the nature of rectangular rubber blocks 18 held by rivets 19 which penetrate the center of the blocksj. The blocks thus contact with the blades in the open position thereof to limit movement of the blades. The pintle 17, is preferably formed of a str-and of Wire,` bent upon itself as indicated, with the bent portion first being disposed parallel to the main portion of the pintle forv part of its length and then bent toward the said main portion of the pintle as indicated at 21. The adjacent terminal of the strand is bent into a hook. Thus after providing portions 21, the strandis bent away from and toward the pintle, at right angles thereto, as indicated at 23 and 24.

In assembling the parts, the pintle is run through the alined sleeves 12 and 15, and the bent portion thereof is moved into engagement with the under side of the sole portion whereby the portions 21 and 211 of the hook will engage one of the cushions 18 and compress right angularly disposed sides of the cushion, so that the cushion or fastener will overlap the said portions 21 and 24 to securely lock or retain the pintle against displacement.

From the foregoing it Will be apparent that with a pair of these devices secured to the feet of a swiminer at each rearward kick of the leg, the blades Will swing from the pintle toward the position shown in Fig.

1, Whereby an increased area of water-impinging surface is presented and the resist-m ance against the water considerably in- ('rea'sed. During the forward movement of the leg, the blades will close so as to thereby decrease the resistance to the water during such movement. It will be noted, however, that when the blades move toward a closed position they are held somewhat spaced as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, owing to the provision of the ears 15 on the blades, and thus, in a position to be innnediately spread apart upon backward movement of the foot in the water. VVhen the swimmer desires to walk ashore, the devices may be without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the appended cl aims. I-Iaving thus described my lnvention, What I clalm as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 11. A swimming device including a sole portion, means for attaching the same to the foot, blades, sleeves on the underside of the sole portion and the edges of the blades, a pintle entering the sleeves to permitrelative movement thereof, and cushions on the underside of the soleportion for engagem'ent' With the blades, said pintle having a cnrved terminal formed to eng'age one of the cushions in the manner set forth whereby the pintle is held against displacement.

' 2. Aswimming device including a sole portion, cushioning means depending from the soleportion, relatively movable blades to abut said means as the upward limit of their movement, and means detachably connecting the blades to the sole portion Whereby the blades 'may be removed so that the cushioning means may directly engage the ground during Walking.

3. ,A swimming device including a `sole portion, blades, a pintle pivotally connecting said blades, said pintlehaving an ofiset portion, and fastening means on one of the blades coperating With said portion to mount the pintle against displacement.

4. Ina device of the class described, relatively movable members, a compressible and expansible block, and a pintle for said members engageable With said block for fastening' through compression andv expansion Jthereof.

5. In a device of the class described, relatively movable members, a compressible an'd expansible block, a pintle for Said members movable against the block to compress it for subsequent expansion of a portion .thereof to overlap the block.

6. In a device of the class described, relatively movable members, a compress'ible and expansible block, and a pintle for said members having a hook movable against the block to compress it, substantially as described. ,o

7. In a device of the class described, relatively movable members, a compressible and expansible block, a pintle for said members having a hook provided with portions disposed'at an angle to each other,l and each portion being movable against the block to compress it for subsequent expansion of a portion thereof to overlap the hook. i

In testimony 'Whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses-V EINARl LYNGGARD.

VVitnesses:v 1 i i V1? S. L. PIERGE, T1108. C. CHALMERS.

'cbpmbf this patent may be obtained for five beam each, by adaressing the "commissioner 0x ranm, 'i V- Washington, 10.63.` W v 1 v- 2 

